AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 25, 2025

Henry Bernet

Press Conference

H. BERNET/B. Willwerth

6-3, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Henry, congratulations. Turning 18 and winning the junior boys singles title on your birthday. What a special day for you.

HENRY BERNET: Thank you.

THE MODERATOR: What are some of your takeaways from your journey at the Australian Open?

HENRY BERNET: Yeah, I mean, it's been probably three perfect weeks here. Today on my birthday I had the chance to play on the Rod Laver Arena, which is something very special.

No, I will never forget that, even if I would have lost the match. But it's even better that I won the match. I'm just very happy, yeah.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. When did you realize your birthday was the same day as the final?

HENRY BERNET: Actually pretty early because we had our flight back home actually tomorrow. We had to book another flight yesterday. Yeah, I knew it already.

Q. When you won at the end, you ran over to someone in the crowd. Was that your dad or your coach?

HENRY BERNET: It was my coach, who was right on the court in the corner. My parents. My father and sister were in the stands.

Q. Two weeks ago when you first arrived here in Australia, would you ever think that you would win two tournaments and be the champion of the Australian Open?

HENRY BERNET: Actually when I just arrived not because I was really struggling physically. Spending 20 hours in the plane, then just going on court first practice, everything. The whole body was a bit sore and stiff.

No, I think I just found my level match by match. That's probably also good thing that I had many matches. Yeah, I think that was the key.

Q. What does it mean to you to join the long list of famous names from Switzerland to win a junior Grand Slam? Obviously Roger Federer, Martina Hingis, Stan Wawrinka, as well.

HENRY BERNET: Yeah, it makes me very happy and proud, too. Yeah, I mean, it's a great achievement for me. I'm really just trying to focus on my own journey, too. Yes, it just makes it very special. Yeah, I hope that I can continue the year like this.

Q. It's obviously impossible to have a Swiss boy winning a Grand Slam title, having Seve as a coach, not talk about Roger Federer and the comparison. How are you going to handle those comparisons as you start to make your way on the main tour?

HENRY BERNET: Well, I mean, as I said, I'm just trying to develop myself, yeah, kind of make my own journey. But obviously there's always going to be some comparisons. That's not a problem for me. It's a motivation, too.

Yeah, maybe I just try to focus on my own journey.

Q. Have you had any contact with Roger at all this week or anything?

HENRY BERNET: No, no. I've met him once, yeah, last year at the US Open.

Q. Have you had any contact with Severin Luthi?

HENRY BERNET: Yeah, I texted him some days, but not every day, yeah.

Q. Do you expect maybe a call from Roger?

HENRY BERNET: I really don't know. I mean, I would love to talk to him again. I mean, he's anyway busy. I mean, I would love to have a chat with him. I'm not expecting one now.

Q. Your first Grand Slam final, then your first title. How did you manage the nerves coming in? How did you feel out there today?

HENRY BERNET: Yeah, well, I think I had a good warm-up before the match. That was something which helped a lot to play on the Rod Laver for half an hour before playing the match.

Also I've played in Basel, too, in a big stadium. I think that helped me, too, to kind of already have a picture in my mind how it's going to work out.

No, I think I started pretty well. I got the two breaks. From there on, I could build up, yeah.

Q. There were quite a few different pronunciations of your name on the court. The umpire called you Ber-Nett, there was Bennett, other things, Henry. Can you tell us how you pronounce your name?

HENRY BERNET: It's Henry Ber-Nett.

Q. What's next? Will you continue on the junior tour or look towards the senior tour this year?

HENRY BERNET: Yeah, I don't really know yet. I think I'm still going to play the bigger junior tournaments, then mix it up with pro tournaments.

Yeah, when I get home, I'm going back to practice. I think that's the important part, now after having many matches, to recover quickly, have a short break, then practice first before going to the next tournaments.

Q. It's really nice to see someone with a one-handed backhand coming up. How did you develop that? Were you always a one-hander?

HENRY BERNET: No, I wasn't actually. I can't really remember. I was pretty young. I was just practicing with my coach in the club. I was always struggling with my two-hander. He was like, yeah, more or less as a joke, Let's try a one-hander. It felt natural. It looked natural. That was, like, the point where I decided to play the one-hander. Just developed well so far, yeah.

Q. What would it mean, the title of world champion, at the end of this year?

HENRY BERNET: Sorry?

Q. To be world champion at the end of the year.

HENRY BERNET: Like No. 1?

Q. Yes.

HENRY BERNET: Yeah, I mean, as I said, I think I'm going to play also some more pro tournaments now. But still I think if I play the bigger juniors events and do well, maybe it's going to happen. That also depends on the other juniors, on how well they do.

So yeah, it could be a goal for the season. I don't really know the schedule yet for the rest of the year.

Q. What about Davis Cup? Would you dream of playing?

HENRY BERNET: Yeah, I mean, of course. Representing your country in the Davis Cup is probably everyone's dream. I mean, we in Switzerland have many other good players. I think someday maybe I'm going to be part of the team.

I mean, I'm also patient waiting for an opportunity.

Q. Obviously you're very at home on hard courts. Do you have a favorite surface?

HENRY BERNET: I think I'm best on hard court. I actually like all surfaces. Especially I played last year the first time on grass. I love playing on grass.

But yeah, I would say I'm best on hard court.

Q. How are you going to celebrate?

HENRY BERNET: I don't know. I think we're going to have a nice dinner. Not too much sleep because I return home tomorrow morning, which I'm also looking forward returning back home.

Maybe I'm going to celebrate a bit today, but also then when I'm back home.

Q. Back to the cold?

HENRY BERNET: Exactly.

Q. Do you ski?

HENRY BERNET: Yeah, I do.

Q. Did you ski to a good level?

HENRY BERNET: Yeah, I would say I'm pretty safe on the skis. Of course, I'm not going too fast. No, it's really something I still enjoy. I actually went skiing now during Christmas break one day. It's just something I really enjoy.

Q. Roger stopped skiing because he was worried about hurting himself. Will you be okay?

HENRY BERNET: Yeah. Me personally, I don't want to stop. Yeah, maybe. That's probably a sacrifice I have to make. I mean, yeah, I would love to keep going with skiing.